❓ why
Why is the Pentagon shaped like a pentagon?
historyarchitecture
Quick Answer
It was designed to fit an original five-sided plot bounded by roads; the site changed, but the shape was kept.
The Full Story
In 1941, the US War Department needed a huge headquarters quickly. The first proposed site at Arlington Farms was bordered by roads forming an irregular pentagon, and architects designed the building to fit. President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the site partly to avoid blocking views near Arlington National Cemetery, but the five-sided design was retained. The shape also keeps walking distances short.
Key Facts
1.Construction began on 11 September 1941 and finished in January 1943.
2.The Pentagon has about 28 km (17.5 miles) of corridors.
3.It has five floors above ground and five concentric rings.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The Accidental Shape of the Pentagon"